Several workshops will give the South Arkansas Arts Center’s first annual El Dorado Film Festival attendees an inside look at the movie making process, hosted by the filmmakers in attendance. Workshops in acting and special effects will be scheduled throughout the festival in addition to Howard Klausner’s featured workshop. More about the festival on the El Dorado Film Festival page.
“The NEW Film Business” presented by Howard Klausner, 10:30am on Thursday
Klausner is a motivating force in the modern film making industry. This interactive workshop will not only be about the process of taking your script and getting it produced into a film, but will also delve into what Howie calls “the New Movie Business”. Howie has a remarkable skill of writing well developed characters and basing his story on these characters.
Howie Klausner is a writer and producer of film, television and literary content. His career took flight with the screenplay for the Clint Eastwood-directed Space Cowboys (Warner Brothers, 2000). Recent studio credits include Soul Surfer, starring Dennis Quaid and Helen Hunt, The Last Ride, starring Henry Thomas and Fred D. Thompson, The Grace Card, starring Louis Gossett Jr., The Identical, starring Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd and Seth Green, Hoovey, starring Patrick Warburton and Lauren Holly and The Secret Handshake, staring Kevin Sorbo, Amy Grant, Bryan Kennedy, and JJ Rodgers. Klausner’s screenplay for Reagan, the epic biopic of our 40th president is slated for production late 2014 in Los Angeles.
“Acting for the Camera” presented by Paul Petersen, 10:30am Friday
Join actor, director, screen writer Paul Petersen to talk about acting for the camera. Paul Petersen is one of the directors of the short film “The Beacon” which receives its world premiere at the festival as part of Short Block #3. The workshop will be a crash course in the basic fundamentals of acting for lower budget/independent films. Points covered will be on-set expectations, working as a part of a unit with other cast & crew, dynamics of choices in front of a camera, various acting styles depending on the shot, and channeling the best way to communicate intent.
Petersen graduated from the University of South Dakota with a BFA in Acting. After completing his studies, he traversed to New York City where he studied under the guidance of Columbia Graduate Film Division member, Lenore DeKoven. Upon his newfound knowledge of DeKoven’s ideology on directing actors, he moved to Los Angeles. It is on the golden coast where he’s had raw experience both acting in front of the camera and directing behind for independent films. Some credits include “The Beacon” short film (writer/actor), “Best of Seven,” “Through the Looking Glass,” and other shorts by co-owned production company, Jester Independent Works. Since living in Los Angeles and working at UCLA, he has had the experience of a lifetime getting to know both foreign filmmakers spanning from India to Japan and American filmmakers from his heartland state of Nebraska and now Arkansas. It is this well-rounded, worldly experience that he wishes to absorb for the rest of his days. Paul would like to say thank you to his best friend, Jonnie Stapleton, for sticking with him through any venture as a filmmaking artist. He would also like to thank the El Dorado Film Festival Committee for this opportunity to instruct on very important tactics he has learned as an actor.
“Blood and Guts” Special FX Workshop presented by Chuck Meré 10:30 Saturday
With an audience of over half a million people all around the world, and over 50 million views worldwide, Zombie Go Boom has had more eyes on their gore FX than many Hollywood pictures. Now, Zombie Go Boom would like to present a special FX workshop hosted by the cast and crew. Attendees can expect gross entertainment as ZGB explains the secret to some of their most gory FX, including witnessing the creation of the most realistic zombie target in the world, the famous Patent Pending ZGB Ivan head. Filmmakers, inspiring filmmakers and zombie fans alike will be both entertained and educated by the art of special FX.
Anatomy of a Scene: We take a special effects heavy scene we shot on ZGB and deconstruct it.
Anatomy of the Ivan Head: We show people exactly how we create the iconic prop.
Anatomy of Blood: We show the oldest and best blood recipe in Hollywood.
Anatomy of a Bullet Hit: We show how to make a modern squib for an action scene.
Yes, this is the real Emmy Award winning Chuck Meré from the world’s bloodiest Youtube show and highest imdb rated zombie show, Zombie Go Boom! Meré is an executive producer, writer, director, visual effects artist, and independent filmmaker who currently resides in Fayetteville. He offers a “not for the squeamish” Special FX workshop that is sure to entertain, educate, and prepare you for the Zombie Apocolypse! “Our show uses Hollywood special effects and props to create a zombie survival show unlike anything on TV or the web. We set out to prove or disprove zombie survival theories with scientific tests and experiments. Some of our episodes include testing weapons seen in The Walking Dead, Resident Evil, and Bite Me. In a little more than a year, our videos have been viewed more than 5 million times and they are featured on Machinima, the #1 entertainment network on YouTube,” said Meré. Meré is known for Zombie Go Boom (2011), Quitting (2010) Love Struck Dead (2012) and Stripped, Bear (2009, which received its premiere at SAAC. For a more indepth look at Meré’s work on YouTube, check out: Chuck Meré‘s personal page or the Zombie Go Boom page.
The lineup of informative and educational workshops are just part of the three-day festival of feature films and shorts from across the globe, and it all happens the weekend of September 18-20, right here at the South Arkansas Arts Center.
MORE about the EL DORADO FILM FESTIVAL
